8 reasons the Kobo Libra H2O is the ultimate reading companion
Sleek, long-lasting and brimming with features, the Kobo Libra H2O is the perfect travel mate
Remember the bad old days when choosing which books to take on holiday would either involve a clinical degree of decisiveness or a bigger suitcase?
Thankfully ebook readers have neatly sidestepped that dilemma, and the Kobo Libra H2O has perfected the formula in one sleek, feature-packed and affordable package.
Here are just eight of the reasons that you should seriously consider making the Kobo Libra H2O the next thing you pack after your passport and a change of clothes.
1. The design is built for readers
Whether it’s a slimline book of poetry, or all 1,736,054 words of the five Game of Thrones books, the Kobo Libra H2O remains the same slim and portable device, weighing in at just 192 grams – about the same as half a can of soup.
Of course, it’s significantly more ergonomic than your average cream of tomato: the Kobo Libra H2O is a svelte device designed with the reader in mind. Just 7.8mm at its thickest, the Kobo lets you hold it in landscape or portrait, combining a comfortable grip with the reading experience that works for you.
2. The screen is easy on the eyes
The svelte design is dominated by a large 7in E Ink screen. No OLED or LED tech to tire your eyes here: E Ink makes text look like it’s printed before your very eyes, and the sharp 1,680 x 1,264 resolution means it packs a pixel density of 300 pixels per inch.
But if you like to read at night, you don’t want to take any chances, and that’s why the Kobo Libra H2O comes with ComfortLight Pro technology. As day changes to night, the colour temperature automatically adjusts, meaning no blue lights to mess with your sleep patterns. Just a relaxing read to lull you into a drowsy state.
3. Touchscreen or buttons – it’s your choice
Without physical pages to turn, you need to get more text somehow. Some ebook readers use touchscreens, and some use buttons – the Kobo Libra H2O gives you both, so you can choose how you want to keep the story moving.
4. There’s enough space for an entire library…
When digitised, even the largest book is a tiny file. The 1,261 pages of War and Peace, for example, translate into a file that’s about 5MB in size.
The Kobo Libra H2O has 8GB of storage, meaning you could fit around 1,600 copies of War and Peace on your device if you really wanted. Other books are available, of course.
5. … Or someone else’s
Kobo supports OverDrive: a service that allows you to borrow books from your local library without leaving the house. Borrow a book, read it and then return it without walking to the library, finding a book on the shelf, queuing, and – most importantly – paying.
OverDrive isn’t supported by every library, so do check first, but if yours is, then your reading list just got a whole lot longer absolutely free of charge.
6. The battery life that can be measured in weeks, not hours
How will you get through all of that reading? Well, the battery certainly won’t let you down. The 1,200mAh cell will provide weeks of usage on a single charge, thanks to the low-power nature of the screen.
When it comes time to charge it back up again, the Kobo takes a standard micro-USB cable – the kind you probably have dozens of lying around the house, so you should never be without charge.
7. It’s waterproof for poolside or bathtime reading
Taking a paperback in the bath is a recipe for swollen pages and unclosable books, but the Kobo Libra H2O has no such worries.
Thanks to its H2O protection, this Kobo has an IPX8 rating, meaning that it can sit in two metres of water for up to an hour without taking any damage. Bathtime reading just got a whole lot less stressful.
8. No annoying ads to distract you: just you and your book
Speaking of stress, nothing takes you out of a good book more than intrusive adverts. That’s why Kobo has none. Unlike other ebook readers, the Kobo Libra H2O is a completely ad-free zone, leaving nothing between you and the story.
In short, the Kobo Libra H2O has everything book lovers could possibly want from an ebook reader, all for just £150: great design, an easy-to-read screen, waterproofing, a long battery, library privileges and no ads.
What are you waiting for?